Cecilia, five years and nine months before

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Cecilia smoothed her fingers down over the lace bodice of the wedding dress she was wearing. “It’s too much, Bridget,” she said to her soon to be mother-in-law. “Thank you so, so much, but I couldn’t possibly accept this.”

The dress was absolutely beautiful and more gorgeous than anything she could have ever dreamed of. Long sleeves of delicate lace were interspersed with crystals and the sweetheart neckline emphasized her petite breasts in the best way—meaning they looked like actual breasts rather than the chest of a prepubescent boy—while somehow managing to minimize her shoulders that normally seemed so wide and ungainly.

Plus, it tucked in right where it should, highlighting her narrow waist with a crystal belt.

This dress was the stuff of actual dreams, but she and Colin weren’t having a big wedding and she’d just barely managed to pay off the last of her medical bills by selling some artwork online.

She’d already bought her own dress, and Colin’s parents had graciously offered to pay for a wedding breakfast—a nice bonus but, really, as long as she had Colin, she would be happy.

These last few months had been magical. She and Colin had spent nearly every moment possible together. They’d had a lovely week in Edinburgh, just the two of them getting to know one another again before he’d had to return to work. She’d followed him home, staying in the little room she’d rented once before and spending her days sketching and walking.

Her body finally felt strong again, and she could actually lift both arms straight over her head.

Winning! So much so.

And she’d never felt more so than after meeting Colin’s family.

They were amazing. So kind and caring. They’d welcomed her into the family without a thought. She’d known Colin had been nervous about introducing her because of some ancient feud with an American tradesman who’d screwed the family over, but that hadn’t come into play at all.

Bridget had made sure to include her in family events, proudly introduced her as her soon-to-be daughter after Colin had proposed, and case in point, was trying to spoil her with an amazing dress.

Of course, spending so much time with his family meant she and Colin hadn’t had a chance to have . . . well, to have a very specific type of one-on-one quality time. In a horizontal position, preferably on a mattress. Or not. Really, she was open at this point, her desire a real aching need that was desperate to be assuaged.

Only a few more days, she reminded herself. Then she and Colin could have yummy naked time again.

Her lips twitched, thinking of all the kisses and caresses they’d managed to slip in. There was something hot about sneaking around, even if they hadn’t been able to do everything they wanted. She hadn’t been ready when she’d first returned to Scotland and then when she finally had been, there never seemed to be more than a few private minutes.

And she wanted more than just a few stolen moments.

Biting her lip as she fantasized about spending a night stripping her fiancé naked and licking every inch of him, she ran her hands down the bodice of the dress one more time, loving the way it felt and yet knowing there was no way she could ever accept such a gift.

She turned and hugged Bridget, careful to not muss her carefully coiffed chignon. The older woman was beautiful with delicate features and black hair just barely streaked with gray. Her eyes were darker than Colin’s, more azure than sky blue.

“Thank you,” she murmured. “But I can’t. It’s too—”

Bridget pulled back, narrowing her eyes. “Cecilia, you will accept this.”

CeCe felt a frown pull her brows together, an odd beat in Bridget’s tone raising the hairs on her nape. “I’ve already bought a simple dress. This isn’t necessary and it’s . . . too expensive.”

Bridget studied her closely. “Well, it’s been bought and paid for,” she finally said. “So you either accept the gift or it goes to waste.”

“I—” she broke off. “I—”

Soft pink lips curved up as her soon-to-be mother-in-law placed her hands on CeCe’s shoulders. “Darling, you deserve a beautiful dress.” She chuckled and pointed to the space around them, the grand house that had been in the McGregor family for generations. “And, I think”—her voice dropped—“that we can afford one dress.”

Cecilia’s cheeks went red. It wasn’t that she didn’t know Colin’s family could afford the dress, but rather that she felt like she was taking advantage of their obvious wealth and generosity. They’d already moved her out of her room in the hostel and onto the family estate. They fed her, wouldn’t allow her to pay rent.

And now they were buying her wedding dress?

“I know you can afford it,” CeCe said. “You’ve been so incredibly amazing, but I can’t possibly repay you for something like this.”

Bridget tsked, wrapping warm arms around her and hugging her tight. “You can repay me by looking beautiful and radiant on your wedding day. You can repay me by making my son happy.”

CeCe felt tears prickle at the corner of her eyes. “Oh, Bridget, I feel so lucky to have found you.”

“I—”

“Did you give it—oooh!” Lana burst into Cecilia’s room, stopping in the open doorway. “It’s gorgeous.” Blue eyes so much like Colin’s met CeCe’s. “You’re beautiful.”

Bridget cackled, but when CeCe turned to see what was so funny, she was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. “I’m blaming you for smearing my mascara,” she teased, but smiled and squeezed her hand. “You deserve this.”

“Yes!” Lana closed the door and flounced into the room, her brown ponytail flapping behind her petite curves. “You deserve every bit of this.” A beat as Cecilia tried to pinpoint the feeling in her gut that was saying something wasn’t quite right.

But it was surely just nerves. The wedding was only days away, and they’d waited to the last minute to spring this on her, probably because they’d known that she’d refuse the gift.

“I knew the crystals would be perfect,” Lana declared and hugged CeCe. “You’ll be the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

“How do you think I should wear my hair?” Cecilia asked Bridget, who began playing with different styles.

Lana plunked onto the edge of the bed. “CeCe?”

“Mmm,” she asked, trying to keep her head straight as Bridget began plaiting a braid around the crown of her head.

“Can I look at your sketchbook?” she asked. “I wanted to show that drawing of Abs to Father. I think his friend, Gavin Stewart, was looking for an artist to draw a portrait of his favorite hunting dog.”

CeCe smiled. “Of course. It’s in the top drawer of the nightstand.”

“Thanks!” The drawer squeaked as it opened and then there was the sound of pages turning. “Oh there it is,” she declared after a few minutes of searching for the sketch of her horse. “I love the way you captured his eyes.”

His slightly manic and almost out of control eyes, CeCe thought, but smiled when Lana held up the drawing.

“I’m going to go show this to Father.”

“Sounds—oh!”

“Sorry, darling,” Bridget said. “That too tight?”

Considering her scalp was burning like a mother, Cecilia carefully nodded. “Just a bit.”

Warm fingers soothed the spot. “Better?”

“Yes, thank you.” CeCe turned her eyes to Lana, now waiting near the door, sketchbook in hand. “Feel free to borrow that,” she said with a grin. “I’ve got others.”

Thinking of the box of her favorite brand of sketchbooks Colin had shipped from the States made CeCe’s heart feel incredibly buoyant.

He was so thoughtful.

And he was going to be her husband in a few short days.

“There,” Bridget said, turning her back toward the mirror. “Look how beautiful you are. You have to accept the dress.”

Cecilia smiled at her reflection, touched deep, deep down in her heart. “Okay.”

“Great!” She clapped her hands together. “But, darling, I do have some bad news. I know you and Colin wanted to get married at the estate’s chapel, but with all the rain, we discovered a huge leak.” She met CeCe’s eyes in the mirror. “I’m so sorry, but it will need a whole new roof and it can’t wait.”

Cecilia’s smile fell. “Oh, no.”

“But the good news is that we have a sister chapel on our neighbors’, the Stewarts, estate. It’s almost identical and they offered to let you and Colin use it, if you’d like.”

“I’m sure that’s fine,” CeCe said. “The place is less important than the person, and I just can’t wait to marry Colin.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Bridget said, squeezing her shoulders. “If you’d like, my driver will take you over to their estate now. Olivia Stewart offered to show you the space.”

“Thank you. I’d like that.”

Cecilia smiled as Bridget helped her out of the gown and then left her to get dressed in some warm Highland clothes. The wind was downright bracing this time of year.

As she zipped up the white cover, shielding the crystals and lace and satin she would wear on her wedding day from prying eyes, Cecilia was more at peace than ever.

Dreams really did come true.

She was marrying into a wonderful family who’d all but adopted her.

Her mother-in-law was more mother than her own had ever been.

She felt appreciated and included and . . . loved.

And she had Colin, who was the gorgeous Scottish heir to a dukedom and so far above her that she never, ever could have believed he would want her.

Let alone for him to cherish her heart.

For him to allow her to own his in return.

She was living an absolute fairy tale.

Of course, she didn’t know at the time that the fairy tale she was living would only last another seventy-two hours . . .